Philosophy of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Philosophy of Life - Essay Example Throughout my whole life the sense of family has been a value instilled in me by my grandparents and parents. They have always have stressed the importance of spending time together as a family, so growing up, family has just been a part of the person I was slowly becoming. Every Sunday after church,our family tradition has always been to have my father’s side of the family to get together for breakfast. It is something that is always the same, we have the main dish of cheesy eggs with toast, and everyone is responsible for bringing a side dish to go with the main meal. My grandparent’s house is filled with the chattering and laughing of everyone updating one another on how their week has gone. The men sit in the family room discussing farming, sports, or weather. While the women gather in the kitchen filling each other in on the latest gossip or upcoming events in our town. Then there is the chaos of the grandkids and great grandkids running around and screaming as the y play various games together. My grandma has always insisted it was something we had to do. She wanted us all to know what was going on in each others lives and not lose track of the importance of family, regardless of our busy schedules. It is a tradition that we have continued even after she left us for the higher plain. We continue the tradition knowing that she would have wanted us to do so. Now that I am older and in college I realize I miss being able to go see my family every Sunday and look forward to it when I come home. Even though family has always been something I valued, now that I am further away and unable to see them as often, I have developed an even stronger appreciation for the significance of spending time together as a family. Honesty is another value that has been influenced and expected of me by my family as I was growing up. From the time I was achild my parents always promoted the importance of honesty, and demonstrated it to us by being good examples to fo llow. Throughout my rebellious high school years, my freshman and sophomore years, was when I truly implemented honesty as one of my own values that I found imperative to uphold and not just something that was expected of me. During my rebellious years I would defy my parents and make up lies about where I was truly going. In most of the cases it ended up getting me into more trouble than if I would have told them honestly where I was going right away. After countless times of my parents figuring out I had lied and punishing me for my deviance, I finally realized it was easier to be honest. Telling them where I was going and what I would be doing allowed us to develop a sense of trust , openness, and an earnest relationship with one another that I value to this very day. The trusted me more, and to my surprise they actually approved of the events I thought they would prevent me from attending. Now honesty is something I believe to have great worth and feel as though I have more resp ect for myself as a result of incorporating honesty into my value system. Teamwork is another value very important to me. I developed teamwork early on in my childhood and have continued to build on it from playing sports. During elementary school I participated in both basketball and little league softball. Starting out learning all the basic rules and skills of the sport was a challenge. Then by actually playing the game it became critical to work together

The Writing of Arab Female Novelists :: Culture Cultural

The Writing of Arab Female Novelists The Story of Arab women novelists reflects, in many ways, the story of most women in different disciplines: it is the story of abundant creativity with very few rights or sometimes no rights at all. It is the story of a group of women who were absented from the literary scene simply because their creativity and attitudes proved to be different from men's, who were and still are, the "mainstream" and the only arbiters who decide what is literally valuable and what is not. It is a story that went on unnoticed for a hundred years because, as men related it, there was only one version of the official history of Arabic literature.' In the recent half-century, Arab woman writers have acquired a distinctive position in the field of literature, with an impressive richness, diversity and creativity in their writing. Woman novelists lead the reign of storytelling now just as they did right at the beginning. 'The first Arab novel was written by a woman, fifteen years before any Arab man tried his hand at this literary genre. Hush al Awaqib, by Zaynab Fawaz, was published in 1899.' For them, storytelling was a way of self-expression, and individualism. The intention is not to imply that it is gender difference itself that determines the nature of literary creation, on the contrary, it underscores differences in experience, differences that are manifested in literature. But it is often viewed that "individualistic" works by many woman writers can be read as feminist in the context of Arab culture. This culture denotes that values such as collective ethnic and religious identity conformity behaviors are caught up in the power structure. Therefore, feminism is also institutionalized in these values. Other criticisms in regard to women's novels are that they their works were merely an extension of their bodies, that the heroines in the text are representatives of themselves. Another criticism was that the subjects and issues the women writers dealt with could not possibly be of any public interest due to the fact that the majority of the works were about love, family and children and reflected the restricted world they lived in. Even other women critics dissociated themselves with women's works and concentrated on the works of men instead. But the truth is that not only were women the first to write novels in Arabic, they were also the first to deal with major issues, even before men addressed them. Also, evidence from works such as Liyana Badr's A Balcony of the Fakhani demonstrate beyond any doubt that Arab women novelists were intensely involved in the social and political concerns of

Best sentencing for alcohol offenders Essay

ABSTRACT This paper will argue the fact that house arrest is the best option for alcohol offenders. It will prove through research that most alcohol offenders that have been sentenced to prison time become repeat offenders. Research will also show that offenders sentenced to SCRAMx were less likely to abuse alcohol once released. It will also show how house arrest saves the state money by making the offender pay a fixed rate for their time served on house arrest. Alcohol offenders are those who commit a crime while under the influence of alcohol. Some examples of these offenders are First-time and Repeat DUI/DWI offenders, offenders who commit homicide or assault while in an automobile, alcohol offenders who are charged with domestic violence, people on parole or probation who are known to use alcohol, minors that have been arrested for alcohol abuse, adults that take care of or oversee minors, offenders trying to reinstate their driving privileges, and licensed professionals who abuse alcohol. Most of these offenders are fined, have their driver’s license revoked and made to attend MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) meetings and MASEP (Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program) classes. Offenders are required to get SR22 insurance on their automobile and pay a reinstatement fee of $125 in the state of Mississippi, before they can have their license reinstated. Repeat offenders are sentenced to pay a higher fine and spend a longer time without their license. In some states third time offenders are sentenced to serve time in prison, in others, however, offenders are fined, have their licenses revoked for three years and made to spend twenty four to forty eight hours in jail. Would it not be more effective to sentence alcohol offenders to house arrest after the first offense? Some people feel that prison sentences are the best options for  alcohol offenders, however, house arrest is the best option. Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring System (SCRAMx) combines the Continuous Alcohol Monitoring system with the traditional house arrest bracelet. It provides alcohol monitoring every thirty minutes, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week instead of having to set up an appointment for the offender to come in and be tested for alcohol in his or her system. It saves the county and state in which the offender is serving his or her sentence considerable time, resources, and budgets because it is paid for by the offender and he or she is monitored continuously by GPS tracking. (AMS, Inc., 2012) It saves time and resources by letting the probation officer and other officials monitor the offender’s actions from a computer in his or her office. It saves the budget of the county and state by having the offender pay a fee for his or her time served. SCRAMx effects long-term behavioral change that cannot be achieved by incarceration. By helping the offender become alcohol free and find the reason for his or her alcohol abuse, SCRAMx is changing the life of the offender. SCRAMx offers significant advantages to the courts and supervising agencies that use it, as well as to the offenders themselves. The majority of judges hearing cases involving SCRAMx have recognized that the device is accurate, reliable, and generally accepted. The accuracy and reliability come from measuring the alcohol intake of an offender through transdermal alcohol concentrations in the sweat and insensible perspiration (oils) of the skin cells. Since these tests are done every thirty minutes it omits the possibility of the offender drinking the night before the test is set up to be done in an office setting. Courts accept these results because they are accurate and tamper resistant. SCRAMx allows probation officers and courts to manage hundreds of offender’s right from their desk. The non-invasive testing frees up time and requires no labor from the parties involved. SCRAMx helps improve offender outcomes by letting them maintain family obligations, hold jobs, and contri bute positively to the community they live in. (AMS, Inc., 2012) SCRAMx helps ease the problem of jail overcrowding by keeping non-violent  offenders out on house arrest. SCRAMx provides a cost-effective alternative to jail for those prisoners who are not a threat to the community when they are sober. County jails and prisons are populated by a high number of offenders awaiting trial. SCRAMx would reduce jail/prison overcrowding for offenders awaiting trial by providing a way for court officials to monitor and track those offenders from their offices. (Mitchell, 2012) SCRAMx helps individuals get the help they need to sober up, thus ending the revolving door of incarceration. (AMS, Inc., 20120) The revolving doors of incarceration are also known as recidivism. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, recidivism is a tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior; especially: relapse into criminal behavior. (Merriam-Webster, 2012) SCRAMx gives offenders a sense of security, continuous accountability, financial responsibility and much more. First, it helps protect public safety, and provides a sense of security for the offender often saving their lives because they stop drinking. Second, Participants of the SCRAMx program give credit to the bracelet for saving their lives. Other programs are easy to beat while drinking. SCRAMx reminds the offender that they are not supposed to drink thus for keeping them sober. Sober days are twenty four hour periods in which the offender has no confirmed alcohol consumption and no confirmed tamper attempts or circumvent testing in order to mask the consumption of alcohol. Third, financial responsibility comes from the offender having to pay for their time on the program. Offenders feel that they are responsible for their own success in finishing the program. (AMS, Inc., 2012) Some people feel that SCRAMx gives offenders too much freedom unlike prisons where they are under constant supervision. Incarcerating an offender costs prisons approximately $25,251 a year and keeps them off the streets while they serve their sentence. (Lappin, 2011) Once released from prison the offender is required to pay a fine and attend alcohol treatment related therapy. The one common program they are asked to attend is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This type of therapy is held in a group setting where people with alcohol addictions meet to talk about their lives and the time they  have spent sober. Offenders must meet with a parole officer on a monthly basis to ensure they are meeting the terms of their parole. Most terms of probation are simple. Some examples are letting the parole officer know where you live and work and if there are any changes in residence and work, letting them know if you are going to be more than 50 miles away from home, and how long you will be away. (C DCR, 2010) There are very strict rules that offenders participating the SCRAMx program must follow. Offenders participating in the SCRAMx program have a set schedule and curfew which keeps them off the streets during popular drinking hours. Offenders are only allowed to leave when it is cleared by the probation/parole officer monitoring their sentence. Most common schedules revolve around work schedules and appointments to meet with the probation/parole officer. They are monitored by a Continuous Alcohol Monitoring system that tests every thirty minutes for alcohol levels in their system. Offenders on the SCRAMx program are held accountable for their actions so the first time they try to tamper with the device or have a bad test are returned to prison custody. (AMS, Inc., 2012) Sentencing alcohol offenders to prison sentences is the number one punishment handed down by courts of law. These sentences cost the state and counties in which the crime is committed millions of dollars a year. SCRAMx, the house arrest program for alcohol offenders, has been proven to offer a better solution for the overcrowding problem in our prison systems. It also helps the offender maintain sobriety and keep them from becoming repeat offenders. Some people feel that prison sentences are the best solution, however, house arrest is the best option for alcohol offenders. In many ways it benefits both the state and the offender. Wouldn’t you agree? REFERENCES AMS, Inc., (2012) SCRAMx for AMS, The SCRAMx System, Retrieved on December 29, 2012 from www.alcoholmonitoring.com/index/scram/the-scramx-system AMS, Inc., (2012) SCRAMx from AMS, The Benefits of SCRAMx, Retrieved on December 31, 2012 from www.alcoholmonitoring.com/index/scram/scramx-benefits Mitchell, Matt (July, 2012) NACo Passes Resolution Supporting Transdermal Testing for Pre-Trial Populations, Retrieved on December 31, 2012 from www.alcoholmonitoring.com/blog/2012/07/naco-passes-resolution-supporting-transdermal-testing-fro-pre-trail-population/#.UNCStneE21o AMS, Inc., (2012) SCRAMx for AMS, Solutions, Jail Depopulation, Retrieved on December 31, 2012 from www.alcoholmonitoring.com/index/programs/jail-depopulation Merriam-Webster, Inc., (2012) Definition of recidivism, Retrieved on December 31, 2012 from www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recidivism AMS, Inc., (2012) SCRAMx for AMS, About Us, The Offender Perspective, Retrieved on December 31, 2012 from www.alcholmonitoring.com/index/scram/offender-perspective Lappin, Harley G (February, 2011) Annual Determination of Average Cost of Incarceration, Office of the Federal Register (US) Retrieved on December 31, 2012 from www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/02/03/2011-2363/annual-determination-of-average-cost-of-incarceration California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (2010) Division of Adult Parole Operations, Parolee Conditions, Retrieved on December 31, 2012 from http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/parole/parolee_conditions/index.html AMS, Inc., (2012) SCRAMx for AMS, The SCRAMx System, Retrieved on December 31, 2012 from www.alcoholmonitoring.com/index/scram/the-scramx-system

Bruce Jenner A Man s Man - 864 Words

Throughout history, Bruce Jenner remained one of the greatest athletes in the 1970 s. Notable for being â€Å"a man’s man†. An Olympic champion to the public, but behind closed doors, he enjoyed cross-dressing and created plans to transform into a woman. Miserably living a lie for the majority of his life accepting awards and titles that were not befitting. Jenner kept his secret taboo because of the lack of support and acceptance of Transgenders (relating to a person who does not conform to societal gender norms or roles) in the late 1970 s. Three marriages, and six children later, Bruce Jenner, now â€Å"Caitlyn Jenner† has publicly come forth and announced his deepest secret. Numerous people endeavor to associate Rachel Dolezal to Caitlyn Jenner. Surmising that Rachel Dolezal is transracial (involving or between two or more racial groups), and that she too always needed to be an African American just as Caitlyn Jenner expressed that she needed to be a woman. Nonetheless, Rachel Dolezal betrayed countless people with her lies and antics relating to her cultural background. A former Africana Studies instructor and civil rights activist was asked what race she was; she replied â€Å"I don’t understand the question† (Dolezal, Rachel). How could an educationalist and civil rights advocate not understand a simple question? Although these two women seem similar based on their loss of identity, in contrast, they are unquestionably dissimilar. InvigoratingShow MoreRelatedThe Influence Of Caitlyn Jenner s Impact On Sports1326 Words   |  6 Pagestoday, Caitlyn Jenner has made an impact in sports as well as LGBTQ community and is an advocate for trans rights. There were social, economic, and cultural influences on Caitlyn Jenner which affected her lifetime achievements. 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Biography states that she had dyslexia and struggled in school but was very talented in sports. In high school, Jenner excelled in water skiing, football, basketball, and track. She then attended Graceland College. In college, she wasRead MoreCaitlyn Jenner: An Olympian And Role Model. Caitlyn Jenner1903 Words   |  8 Pages Caitlyn Jenner: An Olympian and Role Model Caitlyn Jenner was given the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards (ESPY) Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Twice an Olympic triathlon athlete, she blazed new trails. Long before her transformation, Jenner lived a life that her family and society expected of her: a loyal, loving son and father and an outstanding sportsman. Her newest role was as an advocate for the transgender community, which may become one of her greatest roles. Presently, CaitlynRead MoreTransgender People Face Harassment And Discrimination1472 Words   |  6 Pages it s called gender identity, Everyone has a gender identity. Most people s gender identity matches their anatomy. But those who are transgender feel different from their physical appearances. Society today looks upon transgender as an â€Å"Identity disorder.† The word transgender doesn t only mean that a person identifies with the opposite gender. It also can be used by people who don t feel like they re either completely male or completely female.! ! ! ! I personally applaud Bruce Jenner, a retiredRead MoreGender Identity Disorders ( Gids )1403 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscomfort or impairment at work, in social situations, or other important areas of life (American Psychological Association). Transgender surgery has its flaws, but it can completely change the individual for the better in their psychiatric aspect. Bruce Jenner, an Olympic gold medalist, now referred to as Caitlyn, was once seen as the greatest athlete in the world and later became a reality television star with one of the world’s most famous families, the Kardashians. The former Olympian revealed a secret